PROGRESS IS REPORTED AT NEW BRITAIN SCHOOL

An embattled contractor at Lincoln Elementary School assured school officials Monday that by the end of the week his work will be substantially done and the school ready for opening day, Aug. 31.

School officials are holding their breath, hoping he's right. Members of the school building committee Monday decided to wait and see. They have scheduled another meeting Friday at the school when they will find out.

Members voted Friday to terminate the $2.4 million contract of Nutec Builders Inc., but that contract requires a seven-day notice.

"In all likelihood the contractor will be finished," by Aug. 26, said Raymond A. Garcia, Nutec's lawyer, "at least to get a temporary certificate of occupancy."

The contractor worked all day Saturday and Sunday and had dozens of workers at the school Monday -- responding to criticism that there have been a lack of workers, Garcia said.

"This contractor has demonstrated in the last three days a drive," to get the building done by Friday, Garcia said.

Officials listened to Garcia for more than an hour -- the first time Nutec has represented itself since school officials began publicly pressuring them.

What they heard was a scathing attack on the architect, Friar Associates Inc., for approving work at the school in July -- work the architect now cites as defective.

"We think it is highly arbitrary and capricious to come up with this on the eve of the opening," of school, Garcia said. He referred to a videotape, produced by Friar, highlighting construction problems as the "18 uglies."

Friday was the first day his client was given the 18 problems in writing, Garcia said. School officials have a thick file of letters to Firdos Khericha, president of Nutec. The letters date back over a year and in the past few months have cited some of the problems -- but not to the extent detailed in the recent letters.

But that's not the point, said a lawyer for the school committee.

"The contractor is not supposed to make mistakes in the first place," said Thomas Connell, the school's lawyer. The architect is ultimately responsible to make sure the contractor follows the designs. That is why the architect recommended stopping the recent payment to Nutec.

A check for about $150,000 was stopped Friday. Under the contract, officials aren't required to pay until Aug. 30, Connell said. But even then, officials can withold payment if they aren't satisfied with the work, he said.

Garcia maintains that the project at Lincoln School is typical of other school construction projects.

"This isn't heart surgery," Garcia said.

The roof needs to be completed, a concrete handicapped ramp still must be poured and carpeting in the cafeteria needs to be installed.